by Erin Edwards
Hours before Clayton Kershaw takes the mound for his first start of the season on Saturday at Dodger Stadium, his legacy off the field was felt on two sparkling baseball and softball fields in the heart of Hawthorne.
At Jim Thorpe Park, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF), in partnership with the City of Hawthorne and Kershaw’s Challenge, proudly celebrated Dodgers Dreamfields 64 and 65 — transformative spaces that will provide over 23,000 youth with safe, high-quality fields to learn, play and grow.
The ceremony kicked off with heartfelt remarks from LADF CEO Nichol Whiteman, City of Hawthorne Councilman Alex Monteiro, and sponsor statements from LA84 Foundation, Security Benefit, and Leo and Carolina Cammilleri Family Foundation who helped bring this $822,000 investment to life. Although unable to attend in person, Clayton and Ellen Kershaw shared a special message on behalf of Kershaw’s Challenge, a lead partner in the project:
“At Kershaw’s Challenge, we believe every kid deserves a place to have fun, feel safe and just be a kid,” said the couple. “These Dodgers Dreamfields are where lifelong memories are made — where teammates become friends and baseball teaches lessons that last well beyond the game.”
With kids in jerseys sprinting across freshly sodded grass, parents smiling from the new dugouts, and neighbors capturing photos beneath the Dodgers Dreamfields scoreboard reminiscent of what’s lit up every night at Dodger Stadium, the impact of this project was already tangible.
For Hawthorne — where 91% of residents live in areas with less than three acres of park space per 1,000 people — these fields offer more than a venue for sports. On the heels of the unveiling, LADF hosted its second Dodgers Dreamteam Dodger Day of the season, providing families with free health screenings, mental wellness resources, and essential items like books, backpacks, and food.
This milestone also moves LADF closer to its ambitious goal: 75 Dodgers Dreamfields by 2033, in honor of the Dodgers’ 75th anniversary in Los Angeles. Since 2003, LADF has invested over $21 million into revitalizing parks like Jim Thorpe, creating more than just playing fields — they’ve created hope, pride, and opportunity.
As Clayton Kershaw returns to the mound, his influence continues to stretch far beyond the diamond. Through Kershaw’s Challenge and his enduring partnership with LADF, his legacy grows not just in stats, but in lives touched, futures shaped, and fields — like Dodgers Dreamfields 64 and 65 — built to last.
To learn more or support the Dodgers Foundation’s efforts, visit Dodgers.com/DodgersDreamfields.
Kershaw continues to build a legacy off the field with LADF and Dodgers Dreamfields was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.